Mixed signals

                                    

                                          
The next few days passed in a blur of confusion and awkward glances. Every time Lexi saw Mattheo, whether it was in the hallways or the Great Hall, she felt an inexplicable surge of embarrassment and something she couldn't quite name. He, however, seemed perfectly unfazed, like nothing had happened.
It was infuriating.
"Are you listening, Lex?" Enzo's voice broke through her thoughts. She blinked, realizing she'd been staring off into space during lunch. He frowned at her, concern etched on his features. "You've been zoning out all day."
"Sorry," she mumbled, pushing the food around on her plate. She still couldn't look at Mattheo without remembering the feel of his hand in her hair, his warm presence next to her. It was driving her mad, how calm he seemed compared to the turmoil churning inside her. "I'm just... tired."
"Bullshit." Enzo leaned in, lowering his voice. "Is it about him?"
Lexi stiffened. "Who?"
"You know who," Enzo said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced over at the Slytherin table, where Mattheo was laughing with Theo and Draco. "Riddle. You two haven't been at each other's throats lately, and it's weird."
"It's nothing." She glanced away, her pulse quickening. "Just trying to stay out of trouble, I guess."
"Since when?" Enzo asked, incredulous. "What happened to you?"
Lexi opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a loud burst of laughter from the Slytherin table. She looked over to see Mattheo leaning back, smirking as Theo recounted some story with animated gestures. Lexi's chest tightened as she watched them, envy and confusion swirling together in an uncomfortable mix.
How could he act so normal?
"Lexi." Enzo's voice was softer now, and she tore her gaze away from Mattheo to look at her best friend. "If something's going on, you can tell me."
She hesitated, then shook her head. "There's nothing to tell, Enzo. Really."
He didn't look convinced, but he let it drop, turning the conversation to more neutral topics. Lexi tried to focus, but her mind kept drifting back to Mattheo and the confusing mess of emotions that came with him.
Later that afternoon, Lexi found herself alone in the library, trying to concentrate on a Charms essay. It was a Saturday, so the library was mostly empty, the quiet only broken by the occasional rustle of pages or soft footsteps.
She was halfway through her essay when a shadow fell over her desk. She looked up, and her heart sank.
"Yaxley," Mattheo drawled, leaning against the bookshelf beside her. His hair was slightly tousled, and he had that infuriating smirk on his face. "Fancy seeing you here."
"What do you want, Mattheo?" Lexi asked, her tone sharper than intended. She hated how her pulse raced whenever he was around, hated how he seemed to know exactly how to get under her skin.
He shrugged, glancing at her half-finished essay. "Just checking on my Potions partner. You've been awfully quiet lately."
She narrowed her eyes, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach. "I've been busy. And unlike some people, I actually have to work to keep my grades up."
"Ouch," he said, clutching his chest in mock offense. "I'm wounded, Yaxley."
"Good," she muttered, turning back to her essay, hoping he'd take the hint and leave. But of course, he didn't.
Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat down across from her, his gaze never leaving her face. "So, about the other night..."
Lexi's heart skipped a beat. She looked up, meeting his eyes. "What about it?"
"Relax," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You were pretty out of it."
"I'm fine," she said quickly, looking back down at her essay. "Thanks for helping me. But you didn't have to stay."
"Yeah, well." He shrugged again, but there was something different in his eyes now, something almost... hesitant? "I wanted to."
Lexi's hand froze, her quill hovering over the parchment. She looked up, meeting his gaze again. There was something in his expression that made her heart race, something that made her want to ask him why. Why he stayed, why he was even talking to her now.
But she didn't. She couldn't.
"Okay," she said instead, her voice quieter now. "Well, thanks."
He nodded, his smirk returning. "Anytime, Yaxley. Anytime."
And just like that, the moment was gone, and he was back to his usual self, cocky and infuriating. He stood up, glancing at her essay again. "Good luck with that," he said, gesturing to her work. "Don't want to fail and get stuck with me for another year, do you?"
Lexi scowled. "I'd rather die."
Mattheo laughed, a genuine sound that caught her off guard. "I'm sure you would." He paused, his gaze softening for just a moment. "See you around, Lexi."
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her staring after him, her heart pounding.
What the hell was happening?
As she sat there, trying to focus on her essay, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. It wasn't much-just a small, almost imperceptible change-but it was enough to leave her feeling off-balance.
And for the first time, she found herself wondering what would happen if she stopped fighting it.
If she stopped pretending she didn't care.
The thought scared her more than anything else.